A job that Ronnie Greer though would last two or three months has lasted 44 years.

Greer went to work for Leonard’s Hardware in May of 1969 because he wanted to get into retail and leave the cold winters of working construction behind.

“I thought I’d work there two or three months,” Greer said of landing his job at Leonard’s. “Now, here I am 44 years later and I can’t imagine working any place else.”

Greer said it was hard to relay in words what kept him at Leonard’s, but that it was a combination of the customers and the other employees.

He said that when he started working at the downtown location, there were only eight or nine employees and that it always felt like a family.

“W.O. Tibbles and John Paul Leonard were my bosses and also my friends,” Greer said of the working relationship. “They were good to everyone and it really was and still is a close-knit group, only now there are like 50 something employees. I’ve watched the kids grow up and I like working with Lucy and seeing the kids come in to work sometimes.”

Greer said his wife, Kay Galloway Greer, and his two sons have all worked at the store at some point.

Greer said one aspect that is unique to Leonard’s is that it sells wholesale to other hardware stores, industrial to industry and skilled trade professionals and retail to the public.

He said John Paul Leonard was a great business man for several reasons. He said John Paul Leonard understood customer service and quality went hand in hand – he was constantly aware of the clientèle and their needs. and he strived to keep prices low.

“If you wanted to get John Paul mad, all you had to do was hurt a customer’s feelings. The customer really did come first,” Greer said of John Paul Leonard’s dedication to customer satisfaction. “He would thank a customer five or six times on their way out, and he really meant it.”

Greer said John Paul Leonard also understood the value of employees, which is reflected in the amount of employees who have worked at Leonard’s for many years.

His other quality, his business sense, Greer said, was amazing to witness.

“He was like a computer in his head,” Greer said. “He knew exactly where everything was, when he purchased it and how much to charge. In the beginning, the warehouses were spread out. He even had rental property at Tech and we used the garages as storage. Everything was spread out, but John Paul knew exactly where to find it. Moving to this location was a dream come true for John Paul.”

Mutual respect, among employees and customers and employees and owners, is one reason Greer said he stayed at Leonard’s.

“I love the satisfaction of helping customers. Most of the time, if they have a problem, we can solve it and they leave happy,” Greer said. “I like that gratification of helping. I tell everyone to acknowledge every customer that comes so that they feel important.”

Greer said he feels close to retirement, but that even after retiring in a few years, he hopes Lucy Leonard Carr and Miss Shirley (Leonard) will let him work part time.

Both Shirley Leonard and Lucy Leonard Carr said Greer was indeed part of the Leonard family and an integral part of the team.

“I’ve known Ronnie practically all of my life,” Lucy Leonard Carr said. “He is definitely part of the family. We’ll keep him around as long as we can.”